President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has issued a stern ultimatum to public officials, warning that corrupt and non-performing leaders must immediately vacate office to pave the way for Uganda’s total economic transformation.
The President delivered the directive on Thursday during the State of the Nation Address 2026 at the Kololo Independence Grounds. Addressing a hybrid forum of Members of Parliament, senior dignitaries, and the public, the Head of State emphasized that national development relies on absolute leadership discipline and the uncompromised entry of all households into the commercial market. He further extended gratitude to citizens for participating in the electoral cycle that commenced on January 15, 2026, and for their sustained mandate to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The President used the executive platform to clarify his recent administrative directives, explicitly warning against structural inefficiencies and bureaucratic entitlement across local governments.
“During the presidential inauguration, I put forward a call for “no more sleep.” Some people are already distorting it as just “no sleep.” To clarify the message: it means no more sleep, no more corruption, no more diversions, no more politeness for non-performers who want leadership positions for ego and personal intentions,” President Museveni stated.
Tracing Uganda's development bottlenecks back to the early 1960s, the President noted that widespread subsistence systems historically kept households isolated from meaningful wealth creation. He cited early ideological breakthroughs within the NRM's 10-Point Programme, particularly the fifth point aimed at building an independent, integrated, and self-sustaining national economy, as the blueprint that reversed nomadic poverty along the cattle corridor. Recalling his early student mobilization days across Ntungamo, Mbarara, and Nyabushozi, the President explained how teaching pastoralists commercial calculation (ekibaro) transformed rural milk production from 200 million liters in 1986 into 5.4 billion liters today.
“That was all. They converted their indigenous Ankole cattle into half-breeds with the Friesians (ebiihwa) and they took off,” President Museveni added.
The Head of State affirmed that active wealth-creation programs, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, NAADS, and Operation Wealth Creation, are structured precisely to expand this financial baseline to all households. He stated that these programs are structurally backed by immense infrastructural expansions, noting that national electricity generation capacity has jumped from a mere 60 megawatts in 1986 to more than 2,000 megawatts. Backed by these metrics, the President announced that Uganda has officially transitioned into a lower middle-income economy. However, he strongly stressed that localized public chiefs must execute their field mandates without demanding luxury operational logistics from the taxpayers.
“Either you lead or you stay in your home. I hear of leaders talking about allowances, to reach their people and mobilise them against poverty, I get nauseous. Out of politeness, I’ve been keeping quiet but now I’m telling you. All non-performers must leave leadership,” the President warned. “This is the time to talk straight to everyone. Why should a Muluka chief ask for a motorcycle to do his work? Let him ride a bicycle, it is better for him and he will live longer. I’m really sick and tired of parasitism and that’s why I said; in this kisanja no more sleep.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Oboth-Oboth, subsequently reminded lawmakers of their constitutional oversight duties as the legislature opens its first business session. He rallied the Members of Parliament to maintain operational cohesion and align their upcoming legislative bills with Uganda’s ambitious tenfold economic growth target of USD 500 billion. The high-level state event was also attended by the Vice President, H.E. Jessica Alupo, and the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja.
